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5 Cardinals who won't be back as 2025 rebuild begins
The Cardinals 2025 roster should look new as their rebuild for 2025 begins. Who won't be back for the Birds?
With a stunning announcement at the end of their season, the St. Louis Cardinals will spend this season rebuilding their player development department after a sharp decline in the department.
John Mozeliak, president of baseball operations, said the organization focused more on the major league roster and less on the minor league system. Unfortunately, the effort was unsuccessful, as the last two seasons have been the worst for the organization in decades. Meanwhile, the minor league system needed to catch up regarding the technology used to assist players. There was also a tremendous decline in the number of coaching personnel needed throughout the minor league system.
Chaim Bloom, who will take over as POBO at the end of the 2025 season, was placed in charge of retooling the player development system. He spent the last season as a consultant to Mozeliak as he tried to figure out what exactly was needed moving forward.
Over the coming weeks, fans should learn more about Bloom's plans and how they will affect the major league roster. There has been talk that the team will cut payroll to offset the spending necessary to fix the player development system.
Sonny Gray, Nolan Arenado, and Willson Contreras are the highest-paid players on the team, but each has a no-trade clause. It will be hard to move these players, so we should count on them sticking around.
Let's review who won't be back when the 2025 rebuild begins.
Paul Goldschmidt
Goldschmidt completed the final year of his 5-year $130 million contract. The 2024 season was his most disappointing season with the Cardinals as he slashed ..245/.302/.414 with 22 home runs and 65 RBIs. This wouldn't be a terrible season for your average player, but we are discussing Goldschmidt, who was the NL MVP in 2022.
It's not clear what Goldschmidt would want to return for another season with the Cardinals, but the team will likely move on from him. The team has Alec Burleson, Luken Baker, and Jordan Walker available to compete for the first base position.
Miles Mikolas
Mikolas is entering the final season of his current contract with the Cardinals. He is owed $16 million. He would be a good fit for a team looking for a veteran, bottom-of-the-rotation arm. With the Cardinals looking to shed payroll, he would be an ideal candidate for a trade. Mikolas, however, could have performed better.
In 2024, Mikolas was 10-11 in 32 games started. He pitched 171.2 innings, throwing 122 strikeouts. This is not great for a man considered the second arm in an older rotation. He became a bottom-tier candidate from the rotation by season's end.
It may be challenging to move Mikolas, but the Cardinals must try to complete it.
Pedro Pages
Pages was a surprise for the Cardinals in 2024. He stepped up huge for the team when Willson Contreras was injured, and Ivan Herrera struggled.
Pages filled a role nicely, but Herrera has always been considered the heir apparent to fill in the role of catcher for the team. While Contreras is the primary catcher for the Cardinals, he loves to contribute and can easily take on the role of designated hitter. He could also become a candidate for an infield position.
Herrera is believed to be a victim of the Cardinals' decline in player development. it would be terrible to see Herrera be replaced without putting in some effort. He is playing winter baseball in the Dominican Republic, the Leones del Escogido, which Cardinals' legend Albert Pujols will manage.
The Cardinals may keep Pages but get him more development in the minor leagues.
Steven Matz
Matz is in the final season of his four-year $44 million contract. He is owed $12 million for the 2025 season. Matz has struggled mightily in his time with the Cardinals. While he found some success as a long-reliever, he would be another ideal candidate for the Cardinals in their effort to cut payroll.
Matz was 1-2 in 12 games pitched in 2024. He had 33 strikeouts over 44.1 innings pitched. There are better performances than this for a lefty arm expected to earn $12 million. The Cardinals should look to move on from Matz - if not before the 2025 season, by at least the trade deadline.
Ryan Helsley
After earning 49 saves for the Cardinals in 2024, Helsley is heading into his final season of arbitration before becoming a free agent in 2026. It would be terrible to see him move on, but Helsley has earned a considerable pay increase for 2025.
Seeing the Cardinals move on from their home-grown closer would be painful. The team is looking to make significant payroll cuts. The organization should look to make a move now to get something in return for him via trade, as his worth in free agency will likely fall outside the Cardinals' budget.
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